Atmosphere [Archive] - Wizards Community - Pages Merged by Solauren

Atmosphere [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Louist
02-04-06, 01:15 AM I was just thinking about the different methods and props I've had/used during games and I was wondering if anyone did anything else.
As for me/us, we've used only music and miniatures. The minis are great for getting a full visualization of combat, while the music was akward and for the most part inefective. Anyone think differenly? Also- has anyone tried gaming by candle-light or flashlight? Or just low light? You know- to get that dungeon-y feel going.
Thanks,
Louist
Crimson_Concerto
02-04-06, 01:28 AM One of my players has the coolest basement ever, and it's the perfect place to play.
In the center of the room, he has a pool table with a light over it so that when all the other lights are turned off, the pool table is the only part of the room illuminated. This is where we put our battle grids, roll our dice, set our drinks, etc.
I also like to have some appropriate backgroud music on occasion. When the PCs are conversing with the king over a dinner while the kings dancers are performing for them, I set up some backgroud music appropriatefor court dancers. When the PCs are creeping through a dank, dark, abandoned, trap-filled tower, a repeating clip of periodic water drops, thunder claps, and eerie music keeps the atmosphere appropriately creepy.
DM Dave
02-04-06, 07:58 AM I was just thinking about the different methods and props I've had/used during games and I was wondering if anyone did anything else.
As for me/us, we've used only music and miniatures. The minis are great for getting a full visualization of combat, while the music was akward and for the most part inefective. Anyone think differenly? Also- has anyone tried gaming by candle-light or flashlight? Or just low light? You know- to get that dungeon-y feel going.
Thanks,
Louist

Music is the bomb! I have DM'd many groups who said they hate music with their game... until I did it. :D

Here's what I do:

-first I have a set of portable speakers at the gaming table that plug into my MP3 player (I use to use CDs, but then I had about 7 CDs at my table... this is much easier. Before that it was tapes).

-Second, when I'm planning the session, I coordinate tracks with certain themes... like "combat music", "chase music", "town/ city music" etc. I give certain NPC their own theme music... I.E. I play a certain theme everytime this NPC appears.

-Third... I change tracks constantly... to fit the scene. I've been doing this a long time, so I don't "stop the action" while I look for a particular track. to make things easier I may write a track number in my notes that fits the scene when I plan.

- forth... keep the volume low. It should be easier to talk over the music. Your "background music" should be exactly that.

does this help?
Louist
02-04-06, 11:11 AM It does. Our problem would be that there was a good 20 second downtime while our dm searched for the right track (using CDs). Wad distracting more than anything. Thanks.
Kitfox
02-04-06, 11:40 AM I was just thinking about the different methods and props I've had/used during games and I was wondering if anyone did anything else.
As for me/us, we've used only music and miniatures. The minis are great for getting a full visualization of combat, while the music was akward and for the most part inefective. Anyone think differenly? Also- has anyone tried gaming by candle-light or flashlight? Or just low light? You know- to get that dungeon-y feel going.
Thanks,
Louist

Not as far as dimming the lights because reading tables and dice rolls with dimmed lights gives me eye strain and headaches and then im :censored: when I have to think about stuff my players come up with.

But yea music kicks royal behind. I bought a cheap laptop from a second hand dealer (pawnshop) cost me 50 bucks. you know those old pentium I ones, yea preety much it only has winamp, all kinds of tracks and a desktop-PC satelite speakers so you dont hear the clipping even at normal volume.

I find the New Age stuff and Ambient albums to be great for atmospheric stuff. i got this storm/rain one that goes for an hour and we were playing in a air conditioned room with all curtains/blinds drawn in the middle of the summer (outside was 38 degrees, and very humid) and was playing it. after we took a break for lunch all of us were under the impression that it was raining for the last hour and felt really surprised when we opened the door to go out to the car and we got hit by this massive heat wave.

aside from music tracks I also have random sounds that i play occasionally, like when a creature is munching on your limbs (he scores a nice hit). Nothing gets your riled up as much as that slurpy-chewing sound. :)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Louist 02-04-06, 01:15 AM	I was just thinking about the different methods and props I've had/used during games and I was wondering if anyone did anything else. As for me/us, we've used only music and miniatures. The minis are great for getting a full visualization of combat, while the music was akward and for the most part inefective. Anyone think differenly? Also- has anyone tried gaming by candle-light or flashlight? Or just low light? You know- to get that dungeon-y feel going. Thanks, Louist
Crimson_Concerto 02-04-06, 01:28 AM	One of my players has the coolest basement ever, and it's the perfect place to play. In the center of the room, he has a pool table with a light over it so that when all the other lights are turned off, the pool table is the only part of the room illuminated. This is where we put our battle grids, roll our dice, set our drinks, etc. I also like to have some appropriate backgroud music on occasion. When the PCs are conversing with the king over a dinner while the kings dancers are performing for them, I set up some backgroud music appropriatefor court dancers. When the PCs are creeping through a dank, dark, abandoned, trap-filled tower, a repeating clip of periodic water drops, thunder claps, and eerie music keeps the atmosphere appropriately creepy.
DM Dave 02-04-06, 07:58 AM	I was just thinking about the different methods and props I've had/used during games and I was wondering if anyone did anything else. As for me/us, we've used only music and miniatures. The minis are great for getting a full visualization of combat, while the music was akward and for the most part inefective. Anyone think differenly? Also- has anyone tried gaming by candle-light or flashlight? Or just low light? You know- to get that dungeon-y feel going. Thanks, Louist Music is the bomb! I have DM'd many groups who said they hate music with their game... until I did it. :D Here's what I do: -first I have a set of portable speakers at the gaming table that plug into my MP3 player (I use to use CDs, but then I had about 7 CDs at my table... this is much easier. Before that it was tapes). -Second, when I'm planning the session, I coordinate tracks with certain themes... like "combat music", "chase music", "town/ city music" etc. I give certain NPC their own theme music... I.E. I play a certain theme everytime this NPC appears. -Third... I change tracks constantly... to fit the scene. I've been doing this a long time, so I don't "stop the action" while I look for a particular track. to make things easier I may write a track number in my notes that fits the scene when I plan. - forth... keep the volume low. It should be easier to talk over the music. Your "background music" should be exactly that. does this help?
Louist 02-04-06, 11:11 AM	It does. Our problem would be that there was a good 20 second downtime while our dm searched for the right track (using CDs). Wad distracting more than anything. Thanks.
Kitfox 02-04-06, 11:40 AM	I was just thinking about the different methods and props I've had/used during games and I was wondering if anyone did anything else. As for me/us, we've used only music and miniatures. The minis are great for getting a full visualization of combat, while the music was akward and for the most part inefective. Anyone think differenly? Also- has anyone tried gaming by candle-light or flashlight? Or just low light? You know- to get that dungeon-y feel going. Thanks, Louist Not as far as dimming the lights because reading tables and dice rolls with dimmed lights gives me eye strain and headaches and then im :censored: when I have to think about stuff my players come up with. But yea music kicks royal behind. I bought a cheap laptop from a second hand dealer (pawnshop) cost me 50 bucks. you know those old pentium I ones, yea preety much it only has winamp, all kinds of tracks and a desktop-PC satelite speakers so you dont hear the clipping even at normal volume. I find the New Age stuff and Ambient albums to be great for atmospheric stuff. i got this storm/rain one that goes for an hour and we were playing in a air conditioned room with all curtains/blinds drawn in the middle of the summer (outside was 38 degrees, and very humid) and was playing it. after we took a break for lunch all of us were under the impression that it was raining for the last hour and felt really surprised when we opened the door to go out to the car and we got hit by this massive heat wave. aside from music tracks I also have random sounds that i play occasionally, like when a creature is munching on your limbs (he scores a nice hit). Nothing gets your riled up as much as that slurpy-chewing sound. :)